Planning Board

Office of the Planning Board, Town of Schaghticoke — September 7, 2022.

Public hearings

There were none.

Regular meeting — 7:04 PM

Members present: Frank Alessandrini, Wayne Akin, Brian Davidson, Elizabeth Hale, Bob Weir, and Scott Wiley. Dan Clow was absent. Kristin Pratt, Deputy Town Attorney, was present.

Approval of prior minutes

The minutes of July 6, 2022 were approved as submitted, on a motion by Scott Wiley, seconded by Bob Weir. Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Weir, Wiley · Nays: None · Abstention: Davidson, Hale.

The minutes of August 3, 2022 were approved as submitted, on a motion by Wayne Akin, seconded by Elizabeth Hale. Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Davidson, Hale · Nays: None · Abstention: Weir, Wiley.

Rohloff subdivision (Tax Map #32.-3-29)

Brian Holbritter, land surveyor, appeared to update the Board on the proposal for a 4-lot subdivision on 8.15± acres out of a 19± acre parcel in an RA (Residential Agricultural) district, owned by Brian Rohloff. To date, engineering designs for the septic systems have not been completed. Mr. Holbritter consented to Deputy Town Attorney Kristin Pratt’s request for another extension of time for the Board to reach a decision, given that additional materials were outstanding.

Remodel Now — Special Use Permit and Site Plan Review (Tax Map #51.2-1-18.1 and 51.2-1-19)

Brian Holbritter, land surveyor, appeared to represent the applicant, Carl Godfrey (on behalf of Remodel Now, LLC), who was present. A public hearing had been held at the August meeting on Mr. Godfrey’s proposal to operate a general contracting / woodworking facility in an RA district at 850 NYS Route 40. He proposes to construct three inter-connected 24′ × 34′ buildings, arranged in an “el,” for the storage of his wood fabrications, windows, and doors, with a dumpster to the east of and behind the existing concrete block building. Mr. Godfrey circulated architectural drawings, including the floor plan and elevations of the proposed clapboard building with six garage doors, entry doors, and windows.

At the August public hearing, a neighbor whose residence is across the street raised a number of concerns, which Mr. Holbritter reviewed and addressed:

• Paint fumes. Mr. Godfrey replied that he had been repainting trucks over a four-day period, that the work was complete, and that painting would not be an ongoing practice. (The existing concrete block building, now used for storage, will become a woodworking shop for custom windows, doors, and barn doors.)
• Flooding. Concern was raised about flooding from a drainage pipe. Mr. Holbritter explained that no pipe was covered; there is a ditch line where Mr. Godfrey installed a pipe starting at a culvert where water runs under NYS Route 40, resulting in no additional runoff, and the water is not re-routed to the neighbor’s property and will not affect her septic system.
• Noise. Mr. Godfrey, who sometimes works early in the morning, considered the complaint legitimate and agreed to adhere to normal operating hours of 6:30 a.m.–6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Lighting. Mr. Godfrey said he installed lights and cameras at each of the four corners of the building to discourage children on dirt bikes from crossing the property and damaging the new septic system, and was willing to install motion-sensing lights. Board members Brian Davidson and Scott Wiley noted the current lights are very bright; Chairman Alessandrini suggested that constant, downward-facing lighting might be less disturbing than motion lighting and would reduce light shining across the street.
• Traffic. The Board discussed the general difficulty of entering and exiting the NYS Route 40 corridor. Mr. Holbritter noted good sight distance from the existing building and the proposed gravel driveway. One handicapped parking space is specified at the front of the existing building.
• Buffering. An adjacent neighbor complained that business noise is disruptive; Mr. Holbritter noted that an arborvitae tree line would be planted as a noise buffer on the easterly and northerly sides of the parcel.

No signage is planned or included on the site plan. The short-form EAF and the Rensselaer County Health Department permit to construct were received.

Bob Weir made a motion to issue a negative declaration under SEQRA and to grant final Site Plan and Special Use Permit approval for Carl Godfrey (Remodel Now, LLC), with the following conditions: (1) hours of operation limited to 6:30 a.m.–6 p.m., Monday through Friday; (2) all lighting on the buildings must be downlit and may not project beyond the owner’s property; and (3) the arborvitae plantings must be planted within a reasonable time after Board approval and maintained and replaced as necessary to provide visual screening to adjacent properties. Wayne Akin seconded. Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Davidson, Hale, Weir, Wiley · Nays: None.

St. Croix Farm Solar Farm — pre-filing conference (Tax Map #13-1-5)

Nick Schupp, Assistant Project Manager for RENUA Energy, appeared; the property owner, John Moore, was present. At the August meeting, Tori Hanna had provided mapping, a letter of intent, the full EAF, and a presentation of the proposal for a 34.6± acre solar farm on a 257.4± acre parcel in an RA district at the corner of Master Street and Ridge Road. The farm at 14 Ridge Road is part of the Agricultural Stewardship Association (a farmland-protection program), and the solar farm is planned to comply with the ASA’s requirement that the project be a dual-use solar-and-agriculture project. Chairman Alessandrini stated that the ASA will be kept informed, that the town’s engineer has not completed its review, and that the Planning Board would assume the coordinated review as lead agency. A decommissioning plan had been emailed to the Chairman but was not yet reviewed. Attorney Pratt will send the relevant information to the Rensselaer County Department of Economic Development and Planning for review. Both the short- and long-form EAF were received and may be reviewed before the October meeting.

Al’s Towing and Motor Vehicle Repair Station (751 NYS Route 40)

Todd and Al Papelion, with Joe Cramer, appeared. Todd Papelion stated that he formerly worked as an auto mechanic in Troy, lost his position during COVID, and proposes to operate an automotive repair shop for minor repairs and to sell used cars at 751 NYS Route 40, in a Hamlet District (HD) in Melrose, where Mike Melite formerly operated a repair shop (SRM Motors). Mr. Papelion said he was under the impression he could operate under Mr. Melite’s license, and that Mr. Melite told him he had “spoken with the Town and everything would be fine.” He tried to lease the building, began cleaning up the overgrown rear of the 1½-acre parcel, and addressed some building issues; his business then grew quickly, leaving an excess of cars at the front of the property along NYS Route 40.

Code Enforcement Officer Brian Davidson, who visited the site, explained that the excessive number of cars — some dismantled — makes the area unsafe for traffic, as the location is at a blind curve with limited sight distance and a 40 mph speed limit that traffic does not observe. Joe Cramer stated that NYS DOT visited and a State Safety Board traffic-safety study was proposed, and that a DEC representative who visited after a complaint reported that sampling revealed no detectable unauthorized discharges. Mr. Papelion said he had cleaned up about 30% of the site but was not getting help from the building’s owner; he would like to improve the building (painting it red with white trim), pave, lay concrete slabs in front of the doors, and plant greenery, but currently lacks the financial resources. He added that Mr. Melite granted permission to remove Mr. Melite’s vehicles, though some cannot be salvaged until parts are removed.

Chairman Alessandrini explained that Mr. Papelion must complete and submit an application for Site Plan Review and a Special Use Permit to operate a motor vehicle repair shop. The application process was explained and the form and EAF were provided. The Board will review whether the proposed use is permitted in an HD district.

Hometown Heroes sign permit

The proposal is to install signs/banners honoring veterans and others, to be displayed on National Grid poles within the Town, including along NYS Route 40. Laurie Crandall-Spear had presented it at the July meeting. The Board discussed the topic — including the Zoning Code definition of “sign,” liability, content, possible deterioration of the banners, and traffic safety — and agreed that an application for a Special Use Permit would be appropriate. Kristin Pratt will draft a letter to Ms. Crandall-Spear explaining the Board’s position and requesting the additional information needed to act on the application.

Town Board referral — sign law amendment

A request from Town Attorney David Brennan, brought to the Board’s attention at the August meeting, sought a report from the Planning Board on the Town Board’s proposed amendment to the Town Zoning Law to allow electronic messaging signs in the Hamlet, Highway Commercial, Marine, and Planned Development districts; such signs are currently prohibited town-wide. Board members had discussed the topic in detail in August without reaching consensus. Because the Zoning Law requires the Planning Board to respond, Chairman Alessandrini drafted a reply letter and circulated it; the Board reviewed it. Attorney Pratt will prepare it on letterhead for the Town Board and send it to Chairman Alessandrini for his signature.

Adjournment

Wayne Akin made a motion to adjourn at 8:45 p.m.; Brian Davidson seconded. Ayes: Alessandrini, Akin, Davidson, Hale, Wiley, Weir · Nays: None.

Respectfully submitted by Elizabeth Hale, Clerk, Planning Board.